What is a study bible?

[jds22]

Sorry to sound like a moron but I am serious, what is a study bible? The only bibles I have ever had are KJV, plain and simple. My wife and I were talking about this earlier and I thought I would ask here and get some advice. We would like something we can use together and with our 2 boys, ages 10 & 11. Nothing to difficult or scholarly, it has to be on my level. :wacko

Thanks,
Jerry

[zion]

plain and simple: a study bible is a bible which also has commentary throughout it and might have some studies in it to do.

i used to have a study bible but i didnt like it, because the commentaries on some subjects (ie rapture) i didnt agree with. and the studies it had werent that great.

[Jael]

Study Bibles can include all sorts of "helps" such as:

- an extensive concordance to help you look up Bible words
- cross-references to help you find different scriptures that address the same topic
- sections that will give you the meaning of proper names used in the Bible
- maps of the holy land during different eras (such as when the children of Israel first settled it, then after the northern and southern kingdoms split)
- commentary on certain verses or topics
- a dictionary for words whose meaning has changed since KJV times
- a harmony of the gospels, that shows you how the different gospel writers described the same events

...and lots of other stuff. My main study Bible is a Thompson Chain-Reference. Like the previous poster, I'm not too big on commentaries, but I do like all the cross-referencing, as it often helps me get a clearer view of a topic.

Edited to add: at my church, the youth workers use a Bible called the Children's Ministry Bible. It has a variety of study aids and lots of lesson plans to help a teacher explain concepts to kids. I think the version is NKJV, if I'm not mistaken...

[Timothy]

Now THIS is a study Bible.

http://www.pilkingtonandsons.com/7525.htm

I've seen this "Classic Note Bible" elsewhere. This was the first web hit I got. It is simply a bible with a blank page between every page. Lots of room to take YOUR own study notes. There are also wide margin Bibles as well. Years ago, I was part of a group of people that had a Bible like this "custom" made for each of us. Traditional ink pens bleed through the thin Bible paper, so go to art/drafting store and get a "Rapidograph" pen.

[MrsG0529]

I have a Life Application Study Bible. It has notes about how to take certain (quite a few of them are commented on) verses and apply them to your daily life. I LOVE this bible!!

http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/easy_find/122806462?Ntk=keywords&Ntt=life+application+study+bible&action=Search&N=0&Ne=0&event=ESRCN&nav_search=1

[Mrs. Hoppes]

I have a Woman's Study Bible.

Has everything from Mother/daughter relationships, pms, husband/wife, childbirth, nursing, singleparent stuff, barrenness, etc, as well as topical studies on different women in the Bible.

[D'Light]

I have the , Womens Study Bible, new King James version. I know alot of people do not like study bibles or 'new' KJ version, but mine is scripturally very close in wording, only very small impertanent words are changed for easier reading, also, any words that 'are changed' are noted and at the bottom of the page, it tells you what word it was changed from, so you are 'not being decieved'.

This bible has cross reference, women topics, two indexes, and side margin, study notes. It is put out by "Nelson". It helps me to find things I am looking for and has been a wonder to me.

I bought one in Aug. for my sister for her birthday and she just loves it and is learning so much more. It is good for new Christians.


I bought my 3 young grandaughters, preschool study bibles.

Note: I do write in my bible, alot of people do not, that is there preference, but it helps me learn. I also highlight, but if you ever want to xerox copy a page from your bible, use 'yellow' highlight, because, if you use pink or some other colors, they black out the highlighted line, when xeroxed.

[D'Light]

Re: above post.

They have the same bible in the 'Mens' Study Bible.:wave

[Medic911]

I really like the very-popular "Zondervan's" Bible. It's got great commentary notes at the foot of each page. They don't seem to lean toward any denomination, but are simply basic, general notes regarding things such as language interpretation, ancient cultural explainations, and monetary/weigh/distance conversions, et cetera.

Like most study Bibles, you can get various versions of the Zondervan, such as KJV, NKJV, NIV, NASB, CEV, etc.

(I use the NASB, but that's an entirely different discussion)

[JoyAtLast]

I really enjoy my Open Bible by Thomas Nelson Publishers.

There are relatively few comments on the pages of the Books, which I like because I get distracted reading comments. That's just a personal thing, I think.

But at the beginning of each Book there are at least 2 pages of background information that really helps to put what you're reading into context.

At the beginning of the Bible there is a huge index, and in the middle of it (between the OT and NT) there are charts.

The one caveat about this Bible is that the print could be a little clearer or darker, I don't know which. It's slightly uncomfortable on my eyes, so I usually read my Cambridge for longer sessions of reading.

[jds22]

Thanks for all of the replies.

Jerry